High School. Four long, strenuous years of elaborate proms, crazy football games, routine picture days, late nights and early mornings. For some, it is a time of friendships, new adventures and finding yourself. For others, it is a long journey. My high school experience was a good one, filled with its natural ups and downs. High School, I feel, played an important role in where I am now academically. It helped me to develop as an individual; mentally, socially and emotionally. As with any other freshman, I entered my high school as a nervous, unsure girl, intimidated by the world around her. I struggled for years with procrastination. Each year, it grew and grew like a hideous monster, looming over me but as time grew on, I did as well and with the help of success in my academics, sports, and friendship, I evolved into the confident, capable individual I am today. Senior year was a crazy time and although I succumbed to the infamous case of "senior-itis", I was able to maintain my grades and felt as though I was ready to graduate.
Like every school, Smithfield High School had its good and bad teachers, its ups and its downs, but each class, each experience shaped me to become the student I am today. High School taught me organization, discipline, how to work and collaborate with others. Sports played a monumental role in my high school career. They gave me confidence, control, success and failure from which I could grow from. For a majority of my life, I have had an undying love for the game of softball. I lived for the late nights under the lights, the dirt that would pour from my socks and cleats after a long, hard fought game. I lived the everlasting bond that I shared with my team as we soaked in our victories or stayed strong after a loss. In my junior year, my school softball team made it to the state championships at Rhode Island College. We put every last ounce of passion into the game; fighting hard at the plate and refusing to let a ball pass us in the field. In the end, however, we came in second but we left knowing that we gave it our all. Softball is a challenging sport that teaches you to hold yourself together in moments of high pressure and stress, to trust your skills, training and instinct. It forces you to take your mistakes or misplays and improve from them, to use them as fuel for motivation. My team's assistant, Coach Scott played a major role in my softball career as he would offer me advice after a strike out, spend an extra hour hitting fly balls to me in the outfield and act as an inspiring figure. Cross country was another sport that played an immense role in my life. It is a sport of true mental and physical toughness. The true grit and perseverance that you use in a race translates in life when you need it most. In my early high school days I used to suffer from anxiety before cross country races. However, race after race, year after year of mental and physical growth, I trained and fought to overcome those inner demons. Cross-country can be a very intimidating sport but with the right mindset and self-discipline, anything can be accomplished. Track was the last sport that I joined but I immediately fell in love with it. The endless list of possible events to do left me feeling like a child in a candy store. I was introduced to running in a new light. I was so excited, so ready to left my abilities soar. It was in outdoor track that I truly discovered my talent i middle distance races, relays and later the javelin.Each of these sports played such a tremendous role in my life and without them, I have no idea what kind of person I would be today. Sports in general, whether its swimming, tennis, volleyball, softball or running offer you a new perspective on life, a glance from a different lens. It pulls the anger, the determination, and fire from deep within you, giving you a feeling like no other. Aside from athletics, I also participated as a volunteer on a special needs baseball team. We would work with children who had autism, downs-syndrome, aspergers, or any other disability. Each week, we would travel to a new place and play against other teams. The effort, perseverance and positive attitude of all the players was absolutely inspiring. The experience that I had with this team was incredible, for it truly opened up my eyes to a new realm. It made me appreciate what I had and allowed me to further develop my passion for working with children. This experience unquestionably helped me to become the person I am today.
Looking back at my teachers from high school, there was one woman in particular who impacted me as a person. Her name was Mrs. Pimental. Her whole vibe, attitude and way of teaching inspired me and really drew my attention in class. She incorporated humor into her speeches and really got to know her students. I felt as though I could go to her for anything and that she would guide me in the right direction. She understood me, she related to me and made it known that she was there for help. Overall, the inspirational figures, sports and other passions that I was involved with in my high school career truly shaped my outlook on life, my entire demeanor and way of living.
High School Experiences
High School. Four long, strenuous years of elaborate proms, crazy football games, routine picture days, late nights and early mornings. For some, it is a time of friendships, new adventures and finding yourself. For others, it is a long journey. My high school experience was a good one, filled with its natural ups and downs. High School, I feel, played an important role in where I am now academically. It helped me to develop as an individual; mentally, socially and emotionally. As with any other freshman, I entered my high school as a nervous, unsure girl, intimidated by the world around her. I struggled for years with procrastination. Each year, it grew and grew like a hideous monster, looming over me but as time grew on, I did as well and with the help of success in my academics, sports, and friendship, I evolved into the confident, capable individual I am today. Senior year was a crazy time and although I succumbed to the infamous case of "senior-itis", I was able to maintain my grades and felt as though I was ready to graduate.
Like every school, Smithfield High School had its good and bad teachers, its ups and its downs, but each class, each experience shaped me to become the student I am today. High School taught me organization, discipline, how to work and collaborate with others. Sports played a monumental role in my high school career. They gave me confidence, control, success and failure from which I could grow from. For a majority of my life, I have had an undying love for the game of softball. I lived for the late nights under the lights, the dirt that would pour from my socks and cleats after a long, hard fought game. I lived the everlasting bond that I shared with my team as we soaked in our victories or stayed strong after a loss. In my junior year, my school softball team made it to the state championships at Rhode Island College. We put every last ounce of passion into the game; fighting hard at the plate and refusing to let a ball pass us in the field. In the end, however, we came in second but we left knowing that we gave it our all. Softball is a challenging sport that teaches you to hold yourself together in moments of high pressure and stress, to trust your skills, training and instinct. It forces you to take your mistakes or misplays and improve from them, to use them as fuel for motivation. My team's assistant, Coach Scott played a major role in my softball career as he would offer me advice after a strike out, spend an extra hour hitting fly balls to me in the outfield and act as an inspiring figure.
Cross country was another sport that played an immense role in my life. It is a sport of true mental and physical toughness. The true grit and perseverance that you use in a race translates in life when you need it most. In my early high school days I used to suffer from anxiety before cross country races. However, race after race, year after year of mental and physical growth, I trained and fought to overcome those inner demons. Cross-country can be a very intimidating sport but with the right mindset and self-discipline, anything can be accomplished.
Track was the last sport that I joined but I immediately fell in love with it. The endless list of possible events to do left me feeling like a child in a candy store. I was introduced to running in a new light. I was so excited, so ready to left my abilities soar. It was in outdoor track that I truly discovered my talent i middle distance races, relays and later the javelin.Each of these sports played such a tremendous role in my life and without them, I have no idea what kind of person I would be today. Sports in general, whether its swimming, tennis, volleyball, softball or running offer you a new perspective on life, a glance from a different lens. It pulls the anger, the determination, and fire from deep within you, giving you a feeling like no other.
Aside from athletics, I also participated as a volunteer on a special needs baseball team. We would work with children who had autism, downs-syndrome, aspergers, or any other disability. Each week, we would travel to a new place and play against other teams. The effort, perseverance and positive attitude of all the players was absolutely inspiring.
The experience that I had with this team was incredible, for it truly opened up my eyes to a new realm. It made me appreciate what I had and allowed me to further develop my passion for working with children. This experience unquestionably helped me to become the person I am today.
Looking back at my teachers from high school, there was one woman in particular who impacted me as a person. Her name was Mrs. Pimental. Her whole vibe, attitude and way of teaching inspired me and really drew my attention in class. She incorporated humor into her speeches and really got to know her students. I felt as though I could go to her for anything and that she would guide me in the right direction. She understood me, she related to me and made it known that she was there for help. Overall, the inspirational figures, sports and other passions that I was involved with in my high school career truly shaped my outlook on life, my entire demeanor and way of living.